johnston



(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. H. JOHNSTON. INTERLOGKING SWITGH AND S'IGNALMECHANISM FOR RAILWAYS.

6 8 m 4 a 1. m m. F F e S d w w t Ir/A a a w /A i y .H w Q 4 3 m NPETERS, Phobllhcgnpher, Wnlhingiun, Dv C- (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.E. H. JOHNSTON.

INTERLOGKING SWITCH AND SIGNAL MECHANISM FOR RAILWAYS.

No. 349,161. Patented Sept. 14, 1886.

N. PETERS. Phalwlhhagnphor, Walhington. B. Q

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. H. JOHNSTON. INTERLOOKING SWITCH AND SIGNAL MECHANISM FOR RAILWAYS.

No. 349,161. Patented Sept. 14, 1886.

N. PETERS, PhnhrLiillngraphlr. Wnhinzlon. D4 C,

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

E. H. JOHNSTON. INTERLOGKING SWITCH AND SIGNAL MECHANISM FOR RAILWAYS.349,161.

Patented Sept. 14, 1886.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIl/II/I/IIIIII/II N. PUERS Mo-Lhbognplur. Wnhinlhn. D Q

' (No Model.)

B. H. JOHNSTON.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5. 1

' INTERLOOKING SWITCH AND SIGNAL MEGHANISM FOR RAILWAYS.

N. PETERS. Phoblilhomphqr. Washington. D. Iv

Patented Sept. 14, 1886.

h v ML! views illustrating modifications of parts of my tinuity of themain track is unbroken, and

UNIT D STATES PATENT CFrIcE.

ED\VARD H. JOHNSTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE\VHARTON RAILROAD SVITOH COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

INTERLOCKING SWITCH AND-SIGNAL MECHANISM FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,161, datedSeptember 14, 1886.

Application filed May 15, 1884.

To all whom it may concern? Be it known that I, EDWARD H. J OHNSTON, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain Improvements in Interlocking Switchand Signal Mechanisms for Railways, of which. the following isaspecification. 1

My invention consists of mechanism, fully described and claimedhereinafter, for operat-' ing switches and danger-signals on railways;and the object of myinvention is to prevent the opening of the switch,and the consequent interruption of the continuity of the main trackwithout first giving the danger-signal, and to prevent the giving of thesafety-signal without first closing the switch, and thereby restoringthe main track to a condition for the travel of trains thereon.

In. the accompanying drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, Sheet l,'arediagrams illustrating my invention in its simplest form in connectionwith one switch-lever and one signallever, these levers being shown insection; Fig. 6, a plan view showing my invention on a more extendedscale; Figs. 7, 8, and 9, Sheet 2, the same as Fig. 6, but showing someof the operating parts in positions differing from that in said figure;Fig. 10, Sheet 3, a front view, partly in section, of Fig. 6, Fig. 11,Sheet 4, a vertical section on the line 1 2, Fig. 10; Figs. 12 and 13,detached perspective views of parts of Fig. 11; Figs. 14 and 15, Sheet3,

invention, and Fig. 16, Sheet 5, a diagram showing a single track andsiding, illustrating the application of the system of switch and signalmechanism shown in Figs. 6 to 11.

A preliminary understanding of my invention may be best acquired by adescription of the diagrams, Figs. 1, 2, 3,4, and 5.

H is a plan view of a plate which can be moved to and fro in guides inthe direction indicated by arrows in Fig. 1, G a lever connected toordinary switchrails, and F a lever connected to a signal indicating thecondition of the switch. When these parts are in the relative positionsshown in Fig. 1, the conthe switch-lever G-"is locked in place by thesignallever F through the medium of the (No model.)

plate H, the signal indicating a clear track. Then the signal-lever Fhas been moved to the point shown in Fig. 2, the plate H will be atliberty, the switch-lever G can be moved in the direction of the arrow,Fig. 3, and the beveled edge :10 of this lever, acting on the beveledcorner as of the plate, will at once move the latter in the direction ofthe arrow, Fig. 3, until the beveled corner y of the plate H is incontact with the beveled edge y of the lever F. It will thus be seenthat the signal must be moved to the position indicating danger by theoperation of the lever F before the switch-rails can be moved tocoincide with the rails of a siding or turn-out, and that thesignal-lever F will be locked by the plate H as soon as the firstmovement is imparted to the switch-lever, this locking of thesignal-lever being continued as the movement of the switch-lever iscontinued, and after it reaches its destination, as shown in Fig. 4.YVhen the lever is in this position, the continuity of the main track isinterrupted, the switch-rails coineiding with those of the siding. Whenthe switch has to be returned to its first position to restore thecontinuity of the main track, the lever G must be moved from the pointshown in Fig. 4. to that seen in Fig. 5, when the plate H- will be atliberty, and the signallever F and the plate H can be moved to theirfirstpositions. (Shown in Fig. 1.) However, it will be seen that therecan be no signaling indicating the restoration of the continuity of themain track until the switch has been actually operated to reduce thetrack to that condition.

Many different combinations of switch-levers, signal-levers, and slidingplates may be adopted according to the number of switches to be operatedfrom one locality; but it will sufiice to describe the system of platesand levers illustrated in Figs. 6 to 11, with the diagram Fig. 16, whichillustrates a single track and siding. A frame-work consisting, in thepresent instance, of the table A,two end frames,

at a, and base 13, Figs. 10 and 11, is secured 5 to the floor of aswitch-house, and to this frame-work is secured a long pivot-pin, E, towhich are hung a number of operating-levers,

G F F F F" F in the order shown in Fig.

10, one lever, Ff, only being shown in Fig. 11.

Each of the levers has a weighted arm, d, and an arm, f, which isconnected by any suitable rods or levers to the signaling device orswitch. Of the series of levers shown in Figs. 6 to 10, the one marked Gis connected to a switch, and each of the levers F to F to a signal.Each of these leversis provided with a springbolt, 1), adapted tonotches in a segment, w, on the table A, so that each may be locked ineither of the two positions to which it may be moved. Theselocking-bolts b are similar to those used on ordinary switch-levers andon locomotive starting-bars; but it will be understood that it is notessential to my invention to adhere to these locking devices shown inthe drawings. To guiding-grooves in ribs 1 on the under side of thetable A, Fig. 11, are adapted a series of plates, H H H H H, which, asin the case of the plate H in Fig. 1, can be moved to and fro in thesaid grooves, the plates alternating with the levers, as shown in Fig.6. To suitable guides, above theplate 11 in the present instance, isadapted a plate, K, operating in connection with the levers G and F, asdescribed hereinafter. Rods I I are connected to proiectionsj on theplate H, and pass freely through projections j on the plates H and H,the rods being provided with collarsi i, the purport of which will beexplained hereinafter.

In the diagram, Fig. 16, \V represents the single track and X thesiding, this arrangement occurring where a road has partly a double andpartly a single track, the siding being used only by trains going north,while the main track is used by trains going both north and south. Onlyone switchis required in this combination; but five signals arerequired, the switch being lettered G and the signals F F 1* F" Normallyall the signals are set at danger; but the switch-lever G andsignal-levers F F can be moved, all other of the levers being locked;but when either one of these levers G F F is moved it locks the leverswhich were before free, the movement of the lever F unlocking F, themovement of the lever F unlocking F, and the movement of the lever Gunlocking F.

I will now describe the manner of operating the levers Gand F and platesH' and K when a train of cars has to be directed from the siding ontothe main track, all the levers being in the position shown in Fig. 6when the continuity of the main track is uninterrupted.

It should be explained here that where a switch occurs there aregenerally four signals, two to notify the engineer of atrain approachingthe switch in one direction, and two for warning the engineer of a trainapproaching the switch in the opposite direction. lhe signals near theswitch on each side are termed the home signals, and the two situatedfarther off distant signals, these distantsignals notifying the engineerthat he must stop at the home-signal if the latter is at danger, andalso giving him time to slow up the train before reaehi 11g the switch.

The first lever to be operated is the switchlever G, which is moved inthe direction of its arrow, Fig. 6, to the position shown in Fig. 7, indoing which it locks the levers F and F" connected to the homesignals oneach side of the main track V, they in turn locking the leversappertaining to the distantsignals F and F. The lever G when in theposition shown in Fig. 7 releases the plate K, which permits the leverF, connected to the signal on the siding X, to be operated to indicatethat the switch is moved so that a train can pass from the siding ontothe main track with safety. lhus it will be seen that when a train comesfrom the siding onto the main track all the signals appertaining to themain track are locked, and all indicate danger. and cannot be releaseduntil the switch-lever G is restored to its normal position.

The above description refers to my invention when used in connectionwith a switch. I will now describe the operation of the parts shown inthe drawings when the signals have to be operated for a south-boundtrain to pass on the main track V. The first lever to be operated inthis instance is the signal-lever F, which is moved in the direction ofits arrow, Fig. 6, to the position shown in Fig. 8, in doing which thebeveled edge of the lever moves the plate H in the direction of itsarrow and unlocks the plate 11, thereby permitting the lever F,connected to the distant signal, to be moved to the position shown inFig. 8. It will be seen that both the home and distant signalsappertaining to the southbound train are operated to indicate that thetrack is clear, and that the south-bound train can pass with safety,while all the other signals indicate danger, and are locked by the leverF,aud cannot be moved until this lever is restored to its normalposition. I will now describe the operation of the signals for anorth-bound train on the main track \V. The first lever to be operatedis the signal-lever F", which is moved in the direction of its arrow,Fig. 6, to the position shown in Fig. 5!, in doing which it moves theplate H in the direction of its arrow and unlocks theplate ll", therebypermitting the lever F, connected to the distant signahto be moved tothe position shown in Fig. 9, the two signals indicating that the trackis clear, and that the northbound tra-in can pass with safety. Themovement of the plate H in the direction of its arrow locks all theother levers, through the me dium of the projections j and collared rods1', the parts remaining thus locked until the lever F is restored to itsnormal position, Fig. 6. The sliding plates and levers may be increasedin number as circumstances may suggestforinstance,when there are twoswitches on each of two tracks and signals for each switch, or when anumber of switches arranged at considerable distances apart have to be0perated from one switch-house and if desired, there may be two or morerows or series of IIO plates arranged above each other, as in the caseof the plate Kin Fig. 10. 7

It is not essential in carrying out my invention that both the leversand plates should be beveled. Each lever may be beveled and the cornerof the plate in which it acts slightly rounded, as shown in Fig. 14, orthe corner of the plate may be beveled and the edge of the leverslightly rounded, as in Fig. 15 5 but it is preferable for obviousreasons that both levers and plates should be beveled.

I claim as my invention- 1.- The combination of a switch-lever, G, and asignal-lever, F, with a locking-plate, H, guided and free to slidelaterally between said levers, the parts being beveled, as described,whereby each plate is caused to act directly upon and to be acted upondirectly by by the lever is caused to act directly upon and to be actedupon directly by both of the said plates, all substantially asspecified.

3. The combination of a series of plates, H H 850., adapted to guides ina frame with switch-levers and signal-levers for operatingand beingoperated by the said plates, and with connections, substantially asdescribed, whereby the movement of one plate is imparted to a distantplate, as specified.

4. The combination of a system of plates, H H", &c., adapted to guidesin a frame, and switch-levers and signal-levers constructed to operateon and to be operated by the plates, with a supplementary plate orplates, K, situated above a plate or plates of the series marked H H,850., substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ED. H. JOHNSTON.

lVitnesses:

HARRY SMITH, HENRY HOWSON, Jr.

